Police said two officers were traveling southbound in an SUV with its emergency signals activated about 2 a.m. on South Indiana Avenue. According to police, Garrett's car ran a red light while eastbound on East 69th Street and collided with the police car before crashing into a pole. Both officers were treated and released, but two passengers in Garrett's car were taken to different hospitals in critical condition, police said.

Relatives and friends began congregating at a house in the 600 block of West 70th Street on Monday afternoon, the home where Ashley Watters, mother to four of Garrett's children, lives with her grandmother.

Watters, 22, said she had known Garrett since grammar school.

"He was a good father," she said, her voice breaking with emotion. "He took care of his kids and gave them everything that they wanted."

Garrett, twice convicted on drug-related felonies since 2004, was expecting a 10th child with another woman, relatives said.

Several of Garrett's friends and relatives were confused and frustrated by the police account of the crash and were trying to piece together exactly what happened.

"They need to investigate it, and then they'll find out what happened to my baby," said Garrett's father, Charles.

"We're just looking for the truth," said Shalaine Bohannon, Garrett's aunt. "We need some answers."